Improvement in wagon-brakes



0. T. SNELBAKER. `Improvement in'Wagon-Brakes.

N0,127,380 Patented May 28,1812.

ldlim UNITED STATES ATENT Grrrcn.

DAVID T. SNELBAKER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND MICHAELT. DELORAC, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGONBRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,380, dated May 2S,1872.

Specification of an Improved Tagen-Brake,

invented by DAVID T. SNELBAKER, of Gincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio.

This invention relates to an arrangement of devices for throwing theshoes or rubbers of the brake proper in or out of lock and formaintaining them securely in either of these positions, and theprincipal member oi the appliance consists of a tubular handle or lever,within which is fitted a rod whose lower end carries a duplex pawl,capable of being engaged with two similar segment ratchets, that areattached to the body ofthe wagon or other vehicle. These pawls aredepressed, so as to be disengaged from the ratchets by simply pressingupon a cap or knob that is attached to the upper end of the aforesaidrod, and the pawls are thrown into gear with the ratchets by a suitablespring within the tubular handle, to which latter is connected the rodthat operates the shoes or'rubbers. l

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wagonbrake embodying myimprovements, the rod that connects with the shoe being shown asattached to the lever above its fulcrum, so as to adapt the device tothe left-hand side of the vehicle. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thede-` vice with the aforesaid rod attached to the lever below itsfulcrum, so as to be applied to the right-hand side of a vehicle; andFig. 3 is a section of a modied form of the cap o'r knob that is appliedto the upper end of the operating-lever or handle.

A represents the tubular handle or lever, whose lower portion takes theshape of a iiat bar, as at B, and has an eye, b, wherewith said lever isfulcrumed upon stud n, and retained in position by the bolt C. Thishollow lever is traversed axially by a rod, D, whose lower end isscrewed intoa plate, E, from which pro- `ject laterally two win gs, ee', which act as pawls, as more clearly shown in Fig. l. The upper endof rod D is attached in any suitable manner to a holder, cap, or knob,whose sides f fit snugly around the lever A, without bearing tightlyagainst the same. Interposed between this cap and an annular lian ge orlugs, G, on the inside of the lever, is a spring, H, whose stress tendsto elevate the rod D, and consequently maintains the pawls in gear withthe ratchets. These pawls play in slots a a of the lever. I I representtwo separate plates or castings, having on their lower edgesratchet-teeth t i', that are arranged on an arc of a circle concentricwith the fulcrum C. The ends of these plates terminate in bosses J J',that maintain said plates a sufficient distance apart to permit thelever A vibrating between them. Interposed between the rear rack I andthe body K .of the vehicle `are washers L L. Bolts M Ml serve to unitethe plates -I I J J' and washers L L with the wagon-bed. Cast with therear rack I is a brace, N, from whose lower end projects a stud-shaft,n, upon which is fulcrumed the portion B of the lever A, and the bolt Ctraverses said -stud in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The upper end ofbrace N is attached to the wagon by a bolt, O. l? is the rod thatextends from the lever rearward, for the purpose of actuating the shoesor rubbers oi' the brakes proper.

The operation of my improved brake will be readily understood byreferring to Fig. 2, from which it will be seen that the stress ofspring H by exercising' an elevating power upon the rod D, maintains thepawls c e in gear with the ratchets t' if, and whenever it is de.- siredto bring the shoes or rubbers .in Contact with the wheels of the vehicleit is effected as follows: The driver by simply pressing upon the cap F,depresses the pawls from the ratchets and then throws the lever asufficient distance to bring the shoes into action, after which heremoves his hand from said cap, when the spring H instantly restores thepawls to their normal condition; and by engaging with the proper teethof the rack maintain the brake securely in lock for any desired lengthof time. The brake is unlocked in the manner described.

When the device is to be applied to the lefthand side of a vehicle, soas to be operated by a thrusting or pushing movement ofthe driver, therod P that actuates the shoes of the brakes should be secured to thelever A above its fulcrum, as shown in Fig. l but when the deviceis'attached to the righthand side of the wagon, said rod may beconnected below the fulcrum, as represented in Fig. 2. r

In the modification of the cap, as shown in Fig. 3, it is arranged as ahollow sphere, It, and has a downwardly-projecting stem, r, into l whichthe upper end of rod D is secured, and

the retracting` spring H bears against the bottom of said stem. As thisstem projects some distance below the upper portion of lever A, there isno opportunity for the spring to become jammed When the cap isdepressed. Either or any other approved form of cap may be employed,care being taken that it surrounds the handle A in such a manner as toexclude dust or other obstructions from the interior thereof.

Claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In a Wagon-brake, the tubular lever A whenprovided with an axial rod, D, retracting device H, and pawls E e e',which latter are adapted to engagewith two similar segmentracks, I I ii', substantially as herein explained.

2. I claim an improved Wagon-brake, consisting,` of the holder handle Aa a B b, axial Set my hand.

DAVID T. SNELBAKER. Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, J AMES H. LAYMAN.

